Phasmid Study Group

The world's most endangered insect?

The Lord Howe Island stick insect, Dryococelus australis (Montrouzier, 1885), is probably the most endangered insect on Earth. It was formerly abundant on Lord Howe Island, part of a large, dormant shield volcano that formed around 7 million years ago. When the trading vessel SS Makambo ran aground off the coast of the island in 1918 black rats (Rattus rattus) were unintentionally introduced to the island. The rats quickly reduced the phasmid population by predation and the Lord Howe Island phasmid was considered to be extinct by 1935.

Twice during the 1960s fresh remains of the phasmid were found on Ball's Pyramid, a rocky outcrop 16km south of Lord Howe Island. Further research expeditions were held and in February 2003 Melbourne Zoo received a pair of insects. The first captive-born insect hatched that September.

An Extinct Species

Coming soon!